Pennisetum plant named ‘Ivory Fountain’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Pennisetum setaceum  named ‘Ivory Fountain’, characterized by its racemes (seed heads) that emerge white and tinged with rose-purple and fade to white as they mature, its year around free flowering habit, its arching leaves, its height of 48 to 54 inches in bloom, its sterile seeds, and its vigorous growth habit.

Botanical classification: Pennisetum setaceum.

Varietal denomination: ‘Ivory Fountain’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPennisetum setaceum and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivarname, ‘Ivory Fountain’. ‘Ivory Fountain’ represents a new cultivar ofPurple fountain grass, a warm-season, ornamental grass grown forcontainer and landscape use.

The Inventor discovered and selected the new cultivar, ‘Ivory Fountain’,as a culm sport of Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’ (not patented) in acontainer at his nursery in Eustis, Florida in September of 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by invitro propagation in Eustis, Florida in November of 2007 by theInventor. The characteristics of this cultivar have been determined tobe stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new Pennisetum as observed for a period of oneyear as grown in Eustis, Fla. These attributes in combinationdistinguish ‘Ivory Fountain’ from all other selections of Pennisetumknown to the Inventor.

-   -   1. ‘Ivory Fountain’ blooms with racemes (seed heads) that emerge        white and tinged with rose-purple and fade to white as they        mature.    -   2. ‘Ivory Fountain’ exhibits green leaves than are wider and        more arching than the species, Pennisetum setaceum.    -   3. ‘Ivory Fountain’ reaches a foliage height of 36 to 48 inches        with racemes (seed heads) reaching 48 to 54 inches in height.    -   4. ‘Ivory Fountain’ forms sterile seeds.    -   5. ‘Ivory Fountain’ is free flowering with racemes produced year        around.    -   6. ‘Ivory Fountain’ exhibits a vigorous growth habit.

In comparison to the parent plant, Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’, ‘IvoryFountain’ differs in having green foliage rather than red, in beingshorter in height by 6 to 8 inches, and in having emerging racemes thatare about 20% tinged in rose-purple whereas the racemes of ‘Rubrum’ areabout 80% tinged with rose-purple. In comparison to the species,Pennisetum setaceum, ‘Ivory Fountain’ has leaves that are slightly widerand more arching, has racemes that are rose-purple tinged, is taller inheight, and produces sterile seeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of a one year-old plant of the newPennisetum as grown in a garden in Eustis, Fla.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a view of the habit in bloom of ‘IvoryFountain’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a view of a newly emergedinflorescence on the left and a mature inflorescence on the right.

The colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describethe colors of the new Pennisetum.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The general observations and descriptions describe seven month-oldplants as grown outdoors in a one-gallon containers in Eustis, Fla. Thenew Pennisetum has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations intemperature, day-length, light intensity, soil types, and water andfertility levels without, however, any variance in genotype. The colordeterminations are in accordance with the 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart ofThe Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where generalcolor terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Blooming period.—Blooms year around once initial racemes are            formed.        -   Plant habit.—Herbaceous, clump-forming, ornamental grass            with an upright culms and arching leaf blades.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches a foliage height of 36 to 48            inches with plumes (seed heads) reaching 48 to 54 inches in            height and a spread of about 24 inches.        -   Hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Zones 9 to 10.        -   Diseases and pests.—Pennisetum setaceum has no known disease            resistance or pest problems.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous, and numerous.-   Growth and propagation:    -   -   Propagation.—Culm division and tissue culture (preferred).        -   Time required for root initiation.—Roots appear ex vitro in            7 to 10 days when grown in a greenhouse at 650° to 80° F.        -   Time required for root development from a single            division.—1-inch liners fully develop in a 6-inch container            with 8 weeks under greenhouse conditions.        -   Growth rate.—Vigorous.-   Culm (stem) description:    -   -   General.—Cylindrical, enclosed by leaf sheaths.        -   Culm aspect.—Held nearly erect.        -   Culm color.—144A to 144C (comprised of leaf sheaths).        -   Culm size.—Average of 44 cm in length and an average of 3.5            mm in width.        -   Culm surface.—Glabrous and slightly satiny.        -   Internode length.—Average of 4.2 cm.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Linear.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Sheathed.        -   Leaf apex.—Attenuate.        -   Leaf aspect.—Emerging leaves are erect, leaf blades diverge            from leaf sheath at ligule at about a 45° angle from center            of culm then gently arch downward when mature, blades are            flat and recessed at mid rib.        -   Leaf venation.—Parallel, mid rib is recessed on upper            surface, color matches the color of the leaf blades on upper            and lower surface.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire and finely scabrous to touch.        -   Leaf persistence.—Foliage dries with new foliage            continuously produced.        -   Leaf attachment.—Sheathed, leaf is sheathed from the base of            culm and the blade extends out from the culm at a ligule.        -   Ligule.—Average of 1.5 mm in width, extends length of leaf            blade, color is 155B, membranous with fine short hairs on            margin.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 36 cm in length and 7 mm in width when            mature; narrower at culm attachment and tapering to a fine            point at apex.        -   Leaf surface.—Glabrous and dull to a slight satiny sheen on            upper and lower surface.        -   Leaf number.—Average of 7 leaves per culm.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Alternate, 2 ranked.        -   Leaf color.—Color between 137B and 144A on upper and lower            surface, dries to 161A in color.-   Flower description:    -   -   General description.—Inflorescence is a plumose raceme            terminating from each culm, emerging upright and then            gradually cascading outward, comprised of 1 to 2 spikelets            surrounded by an involucre of bristles.        -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—Racemes dry but remain            persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Raceme size.—Mature to an average of 24 cm in length and 3.5            cm in width.        -   Raceme color.—Emerge a blend of 144A and 157A (spikelet            portion) covered with spikes 155A and tinged with N77C, as            the raceme matures, the N77C tinge is lost and the overall            color is 155A (the overall raceme color is primarily            determined by the bristles).        -   Spikelet description.—Single and arranged in whorls on            rachis, average of 1.2 cm (3 cm including bristles) and 1.5            mm in width (3.5 cm including bristles), glumes; 2,            membranous, transparent and 145D in color with veins 144A,            about 6 mm in length and 1.5 mm in width, palae; about 5 mm            in length and 1.5 mm in length, lemma and palea; translucent            with tint of 145D, equal in size and about 6 mm in length            and 1 mm in width, bristles; attached to base of spikelet,            up to 2.5 cm in length, unequal in length, 155A and tinged            with N77C and changing to 155A.        -   Rachis.—About 24 cm in length and 1 mm in width, 144A in            color, oval in shape, surface is finely ridged with sparse            hairs.        -   Reproductive organs.—Pistil; 1 with 2 plumose stigmas about            7 mm in length, 0.4 mm in width and 158A in color, stamens;            3, about 2.5 mm in length, 0.3 mm in width and 163C in            color, pollen; not visible.        -   Seed.—Sterile.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Pennisetum plant named ‘IvoryFountain’ as herein illustrated and described.